Pros:
A fun surprise in small-town Virginia. Picturesque views around the lake are just the beginning of a good times at Edmunds Park.
- This course was much better than I expected. Take away a couple small issues (poor layouts), otherwise a hidden gem.
- The views around the lake, and the backdrop of the silo, start your round off with some major positive vibes. By the time you get to the woods on #5, things are already off to a good start.
- #6 is the first taste of the course's bite. Solid, 90-degree dogleg right. Good shot making sets you up for your 3.
- #8 is another tough layout: uphill, through the trees, with the pin set back to the right. Enjoy a quality three here.
- Follow that up by a tricky-ish, short downhill par 3 on #9. A little too aggressive and you bring the creek OB long in play.
- Get your taste of the bamboo wall on #12, a la Winthrop in Rock Hill, SC.
- Three more tough layouts at the end highlight this course's bite: #15, (extra hole) B (between 15 & 16), and 16. In a four-hole stretch, you get the three toughest layouts. #15 requires an accurate tee shot on a tight, low-ceilinged fairway. An accurate placement means you can take the short gap to the left down to the basket on the other side of the creek. Miss that, and you've got to go further before heading left.
- Extra hole B (just number it, already) requires you hitting your gap between the trees before heading downhill to the right. Oh yeah, you're throwing over a pond to a basket 25 feet from the water. With your second shot, you've got to determine if you're clearing the water, or throwing short for an easy third shot over the water.
- And #16. It starts out painfully boring. You're teeing off in the middle of a field, throwing across a long field. Try to spot where your disc lands in said field otherwise you may be walking around, especially if the grass is tall. From there, you've got a gap to hit in the trees to the basket on the other side of a creek.
- So, yes. This course has a tremendous flow between open and wooded holes. It also has some quality elevation.
- Course has long tees as well. Course has enough challenge and quality from the regular tees so this may just be adding challenge.
Cons:
There are some stupid, poorly thought-out long walks. Between extra holes A & B, why are you having to walk the entire length of B to get to B's tee pad?
- Tee signs and arrows need to be better. Too many times I didn't know where the baskets were located because the tee signs weren't helpful. I'm guessing the green clump on the tee signs is trees, but which one?
- After finishing #14, I saw a #15 written on the ground. Weird place for a tee I thought. Turned out there was a faded arrow on that marker trying to point me to the next tee.
- On #13, 15, 16, and 17 had no idea where the basket was. Sure, on #17 I could have walked the fairway. But you shouldn't be expected to do that on 500-foot holes. Just a reminder that metal baskets blend in easily in the woods, especially when transitioning from fairways.
- If #18 isn't the worst hole on the course, it's second worse. Uphill and open. And boring. I say find a way to make extra hole B your closing hole. Sure, it's a little longer walk back to the parking lot. But, it's a LOT shorter than the walk from B back into the woods on #16. Seems #18 could be eliminated and nobody would care.
Other Thoughts:
Overall, Edmunds Park earns high marks for me. This was never high on my list. It was being played because, well, 'it's there.' But it was a hit.
- Those field holes at the end of the round have got to be extremely pleasant in the middle of summer. Nothing like walking through tall grass in the sun and heat.
- The course is broken into uneven thirds: first third around the water, second third in the woods, final third in the big field.
- Good flow throughout, from tough holes to easier ones, from a variety of layouts and looks. Holes generally didn't feel alike.
- Bring your bright colored discs when throwing in the field. It'll be easier spotting brink pink in tall grass than green or yellow discs.
- Improve signage throughout the course and this becomes even better. Granted, the regulars don't even notice things like this.
- Course reminded me a lot of Ahoskie Creek in NC and Jim Barnett in Winchester. Edmunds has more elevation to work with than Ahoskie. Otherwise, lots of good overlapping qualities.
- This is more than an out-of-the-way course. It's well worth playing. And it's close to enough other quality courses, that an additional 30 minutes of driving is well worth it.